The Kerikeri Mission Station, with the Stone Store at left, St James at rear, and Mission House on the right

The oldest fruit tree in New Zealand, near the Stone Store, still bears fruit. The building at rear is the historic blacksmith's shop established by the missionaries

This plaque records details of the planting of the old pear tree in 1819

Kerikeri, the largest town in NorthlandNew Zealand, is a popular tourist destination about three hours drive north of Auckland, and 80 km north of the northern region's largest city, Whangarei. It is often called the Cradle of the Nation, being the site of the first permanent mission station in the country, and it has some of the most historic buildings in the country.

The village was established by New Zealand's pioneering missionaries, who called it Gloucestertown, or Gloucester Town, but neither name endured. The Māori word Kerikeri was spelled and pronounced as Keddi Keddi or even Kiddee Kiddee,[2] but the town's name is today generally pronounced Kerry Kerry but with a rolled r by Māori.

Kerikeri was the first place in New Zealand where grape vines were planted. Samuel Marsden planted 100 vines on 25 September 1819 and noted in his journal that New Zealand promised to be very favourable to the vine. The plough was first used in New Zealand at Kerikeri, by Rev. J. G. Butler, on 3 May 1820.[4]

The origin of the name Kerikeri is not exactly known, and there have been many conflicting definitions given over the years. It is likely Kerikeri derives its name from the river and in fact, after visiting the area in 1815, John Nicholas wrote "the river that discharged itself into the cove was called by the natives Tecaddiecaddie....".[5]

The definition of the word Kerikeri most widely known by pākehā (New Zealanders of European descent) is 'dig dig', or 'to keep digging'. It is known that Māori had extensive gardens in the area when Europeans arrived.

Another definition derives from Kerikeri te ana wai — "the churning or boiling over of the waters". That would have aptly described the freshwater river tumbling into the salt water over the falls which were then higher (being blasted early in the 1900s to accommodate a bridge). However, some Māori say it derives from hukerikeri which means "bubbling up", and there is a sad reasoning behind this. Hongi Hika, a famous or infamous chief depending on whether one fought with or against him, is reputed to have fathered the child of a captured slave at Kororipo Pā. As this was unacceptable to the tribe, the baby was placed in the water to drown but persistently rose to the surface, hence the "bubbling up".

What are now called Wharepuke Falls, upriver from the Stone Store Basin, were called the Kerikeri Falls until the 1930s when given the name Wharepoke which referred to the large adjacent area of native bush. A French doctor, Messier Lesson, visited Kerikeri in 1824 and wrote that among stomach ailments suffered by Māori was "gravelle" (gravel) which they called Kiddee Kiddee. He said it was also the word for a cascade of water.

There are also persistent claims that the falls referred to by the missionaries as "The Kiddikiddi" were what we now call the Rainbow Falls. That is impossible because although Nicholas visited and referred to Tecaddiecaddie in 1815 it was not until 1822 that missionaries Francis Hall and James Kemp became the first Europeans to see them.[citation needed]

The local Kerikeri slogan is "It's So Nice They Named It Twice". In the early 1980s, an anonymous backpacker wrote those words in the Visitors' Book at the Kerikeri Youth Hostel. It was brought to the attention of the then editor of the local newspaper, the Kerikeri Chronicle, who gave it publicity, and it quickly became adopted as a quasi-official slogan. Kerikeri is a former winner of the "New Zealand's Top Small Town" title bestowed annually by North and South magazine, and this has since been the main focus of most tourism marketing of the town.

Originally called the Mission House, and then for more than 100 years Kemp House, but now again called Mission House, this is the oldest wooden structure still standing in New Zealand. A much visited and photographed building, it is administered along with the Stone Store (see below) by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust.

It was built by the Church Missionary Society for the Rev John Butler (New Zealand's first clergyman) who became the first occupant in 1822, but only for a short while. There was a succession of occupants until 1832 when the mission blacksmith James Kemp and his wife Charlotte moved in with their family.

The Kemps acquired ownership of the house and surrounding land in 1859 by trading land they owned at nearby Kororipo Point. From then on the Mission House became Kemp House and it remained in the Kemp family until 1976 when it was given to the Nation by Ernest Kemp, a great grandson of the missionary James Kemp and Charlotte Kemp.

St James', the wooden church on the hill above the Stone Store, is the third built in the area, and second on this picturesque site overlooking the basin. The missionaries' first little combined chapel and school was built near the water and dedicated on 19 April 1824. It was replaced in 1829 when a 38 ft by 18 ft (11.5 × 5.5 metre) lath and plaster structure was erected on the present site of St James. It came complete with a town clock which was later incorporated in the Stone Store.

The new and slightly larger St James, built of weatherboard and battens, was dedicated in 1878. It was another 85 years before the church was extended to its present day size to cater for a growing congregation (1963). In 1968 a damaging tornado hit Kerikeri with enough force to skew St James' off line. Services had to be held elsewhere until a major repair and restoration was completed. The church bell came from HMNZS Black Prince, a light cruiser which had served with the Royal New Zealand Navy.

The Stone Store, a former storehouse, is the oldest stone building in New Zealand, construction having begun on 19 April 1832. The keystone above the door bearing the date 1833 is thought to have been carved by the stonemason William Parrott who cut the Sydneysandstone in situ, but construction of the building was not actually completed until mid-1836.

Stone was used because the missionaries needed a vermin-free, fireproof area for their supplies and provisions, and for improved security from inquisitive Māori. There was a plan to build a mill where the bridge exists now, and to protect the flour produced from locally grown wheat in the store. But the mill never eventuated, and the millstones brought out from England went inland to Waimate North instead.

Curiously enough, when work started on the building, Māori were already moving out of the district, and when it was finally completed there were very few Māori remaining at Kerikeri. Furthermore, there were rumblings within the missionary community that Kerikeri was becoming the backwater of missionary activity, eliminating the need to store goods and provisions there. It was considered a folly at the time, but one that blesses Kerikeri today.

Over the years, the Stone Store suffered the cumulative effects of adjacent traffic movements and the ravages of normal wear and tear. Costly remedial work was required and in the 21st century a bypass was constructed and opened on 23 June 2008, to divert traffic and protect the building for posterity. The old stone store bridge was completely removed in the second half of 2008. The reasons for removal of the original bridge are controversial, and there was a groundswell of protest from a number of local residents. The bridge was removed regardless and the debate over whether this was the correct course of action has yet to be resolved in the minds of many residents. The building has been restored to its original state, but does not include the tower on the roof containing the clock removed from the chapel further up the hill, which was removed as a safety measure a long time ago.

Rewa's Village was constructed opposite the Stone Store in 1969 as a community effort to faithfully recreate a kainga (unfortified village) which existed when Europeans arrived in New Zealand.

It was named after Ngapuhi chief Rewa (also known as Maanu), who was one of three chiefly brothers originally belonging to the Ngai Tawake hapu; the other two brothers being; Te Wharerahi and Moka 'Kainga-mataa' who used to live here in the 1820s-1830s.

Kainga were sited close to fresh water and local fishing waters or gardens, and sometimes near fortified pā such as Kororipo which was just over the water.

Rewa's Village has all the features of a true kainga, including a marae area, chief's whare (house), kauta (cooking shelter), whata (bench where food was placed), tall whata, weapons store, pataka (raised food store), enclosure for the tohunga (a wise person who advised the community on just about everything), rahui (a post marking tapu or out of bounds limits), whare made of bark, waka tiwai (fishing canoe), bird snare, hangi pit (ground oven), genuine historic canoes, family enclosure, rua (storage area ) for kumara (sweet potato) and a paepae haumati (the basic toilet system which was flushed twice daily by the tide) .

There are dozens of arts and crafts enterprises in the Kerikeri area and the Art and Craft Trail has become well known to tourists. This involves a visit to about 20 arts and crafts outlets in the area.

Since the advent of the Kerikeri campus of Northland Polytechnic in the 1990s, Kerikeri has become the centre of glass artists in Northland.

Although the water at the Stone Store basin is a part of the Bay of Islands where overseas yachties tie up regularly, especially in the hurricane season, Kerikeri township does not have a beach. But not too far away there are the beaches at Matauri Bay which boasts excellent views of the Cavalli Islands, Te Ngaere and Tapuaetahi .

The Waikeri Garden Club thrives with a mixed membership of well over 100 keen gardeners. The club meets on the fourth Tuesday of each month at The Kerikeri RSA in Cobham Road at 10.30 am. Interesting speakers are invited to attend, and members are asked to bring a plate for a shared lunch afterwards.

The Māori name for Rainbow Falls on the Kerikeri River is Waianiwaniwa which means Waters of the Rainbow. They are one of the most visited attractions in the district. It is possible to drive almost to the falls, with walking also possible from the Stone Store basin.

The Kerikeri Cruising Club at Doves Bay is very active due to the boating waters on Kerikeri's doorstep. The club has modern facilities including a large marina which doubled in size in 2003. The Kerikeri High School Sailing Team has been New Zealand secondary schools' champion several times, and when representing New Zealand has defeated the Australians in cross-Tasman series (their last victory being in October 2010). There is also a comprehensive and worth-while Learn-To-Sail program held at the nearby Lake Manuwai, where anyone, young or old, can try their hand at the sport. Many Kerikeri sailors have gone on to Olympic Games or world championship and international match racing circuits, and had a hand in New Zealand winning the America's Cup in 1996.

Kerikeri is fast becoming the boutique shopping destination of the North. In Kerikeri you will find boutiques offering designer clothing, original crafts and gift shops, home decor and gourmet food stores. Kerikeri has a thriving retail economy with two large supermarkets and many small retailers. A Farmers Market offering fresh locally grown produce is held every Sunday morning in the Post Shop carpark and has proved to be a very popular event. Kerikeri has several restaurants offering foods from around the world.

As well as the at nearby Matauri Bay, Te Ngaere etc., and various places to swim in the Kerikeri River such as the Fairy Pools, Kerikeri has a modern swimming pool with diving facilities. Although sited at the Kerikeri High School it is a community pool.

Charlie's Rock is a waterfall and swimming hole. A track was constructed to Charlie's Rock from Cherry Park House by students of Springbank School in 2009.[12]